Burma getting democracy tips from The West Wing

Burma's former junta leaders are seeking political guidance on how to be a
democracy from an unlikely source - the award-winning TV show The West Wing.

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Burma's former junta leaders are seeking political guidance on how to be a democracy from an unlikely source - the award-winning TV show The West Wing. Photo: REX FEATURES

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Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state and and Thura Shwe Mann, Burma's lower house speaker and former leading figure in the Burmese military government. Photo: REUTERS/AFP/GETTY

By Helena Kaznowska

5:25PM BST 20 Sep 2012

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, recounted the conversation that took place on her historic trip to Burma last year. The account was between herself and Thura Shwe Mann, Burma's lower house speaker and former leading figure in the Burmese military government.

"[Thura Shwe Mann] said to me, 'Help us learn how to be a democratic congress, a Parliament.' He went on to tell me that they were trying to teach themselves by watching old segments of 'The West Wing'," she said.

Mrs Clinton apparently responded to the former general: "I think we can do better than that, Mr Speaker."

The US political drama starring Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlett, ran between September 1999 and May 2006, going off air while Burma was still under the oppresive military regime and Aung San Suu Kyi was held under house arrest.

Mr Clinton spoke at an event honouring Ms Suu Kyi, who received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington on Wednesday.

Ms Suu Kyi and Mrs Clinton met in December during the secretary of state's landmark visit to Burma, after the regime signalled a willingness to reform after decades of military rule. Mrs Clinton became the highest level Western official visit Burma in 50 years.

The West Wing, which won three Golden Globes and 26 Emmy Awards, often featured current or recent political issues.

During Barack Obama's presidential campaign, similarities between the fictional Democratic candidate Matthew Santos - a young Hispanic politician - and Mr Obama were drawn. The writers later admitted that Santos's character was inspired by Mr Obama, who was at the time a relatively unknown politician from Illinois.

Separately, the whole cast of The West Wing have reunited for a new online campaign advert endorsing Bridget Mary McCormack, a Supreme Court candidate for the state of Michigan. Ms McCormack's sister, Mary McCormack, was on the show from 2004-2006.